Introduction: Lifestyle modification regarding a healthy diet, adequate physical activity and optimal weight control remains the cornestone in the prevention, management and treatment of the type 2 diabetes. Although regular physical activity can prevent or delay the onset of the disease and its complications, most patients with type 2 diabetes are not physically active. Lack of time is the number-one reported barrier to regular exercise participation. High intensity interval training is comprised of brief periods of high-intensity exercise interposed with recovery periods at a lower intensity. There is accumulating evidence that a variety of high intensity interval training protocols are highly effective at improving cardiorespiratory fitness, endothelial function, muscle metabolic capacity and insulin sensitivity. Purpose: The main purpose of this thesis is to review randomized control trials in order to establish the effectiveness of high intensity interval training in patients with type 2 diabetes and to compare feasibility of high intensity interval and moderate intensity continuous exercise training in patients with type 2 diabetes. Methods: RCT were identified through databases Medline (EBSCOhost), The Cochrane Library, PeDRO and Scopus. Results: The review included 7 studies. High intensity interval training appears to promote superior improvements in the case of glycemic control, systolic blood pressure, cholesterol and BMI values in comparison to moderate intensity continuous exercise, when performed by patients with type 2 diabetes for at least 12-16 weeks. Conclusion: In our review, we found that both exercise modes, moderate intensity continuous exercise and high intensity interval training were useful for patients with type 2 diabetes, with the high intensity interval training achieving comparable effects in a shorter time. However, high intensity interval training is more effective in the case of glycemic control, lowering systolic blood pressure, cholesterol and ITM values. High intensity interval training involves a substantially lower total exercise volume and time commitment and has therefore been touted as a time-efficient exercise option. Given that lack of time is the number-one reported barrier to regular exercise participation, it is possible that high intensity interval training may be an attractive and safe option for increasing physical activity levels in patients with type 2 diabetes.
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